In our previous post, we examined the concept of sabbath in terms of the primary purpose of the letter to the Hebrews, the superiority of the New Covenant sabbath in Jesus to the sabbath of the Old Covenant in terms of its permanence as opposed to the temporary nature of the Old Covenant sabbath. In verse one, we again find the usage of katapausis as rest, continuing on in the idea of its permanent nature, and we are informed that the concept of a sabbath rest found in the Old Covenant is also found in the New, but in a different form, with the therefore here serving to connect this passage to chapter 3 and its mention of sabbath rest present in the Old Covenant. The Greek text here then follows the therefore with the aorist subjunctive of the verb phobeomai- literally as “to fear”, not here as in the sense of to be terrified of or dread, but more as to “take care or be wary” (be careful” in NIV). This is combined with the Greek epangelia here, referring to a promise. There is, in the Old Covenant, a promise of rest provided by God, and there is also a promise of rest provided by God in the New Covenant. A promised rest is a vital element of that which is promised by God in both covenants, and entering into this rest requires the choice of the individual to enter into it. This rest is provided by God, but the possibility remains that the believer may be “found to have fallen short of it”. The Greek term “found” here is the aorist subjunctive of dokeo- “to seem or appear to be”. The use of the subjunctive here emphasizes this as a possibility, that this rest is ours, but it is possible for us to live as though it is not, and this is what we are to “fear”. The fact of the continuation of a “promised rest” is further reinforced through the assertion that this “promise of entering His rest still stands”. The Greek term “entering” here is the aorist infinitive of eiserchomai- “to enter into”. The infinitive is a verbal noun, a verb used as a noun, and its usage here expands further on the nature of this rest, it is one which can and must be entered into. The Greek “still stands” here is the present participle of kataleipo- “to leave down, remain settled or standing”. The use of the participle here (a verb used as an adjective) tells us more still about the nature of this rest, that it “still stands” as a promise of God in the entirety of the New Covenant era. The remainder of this passage will expound further as to the nature of this rest, but the fundamental message we must take from this first verse is of the possibility of “falling short” of it, and that we must ever “take care or be wary” of the possibility of this “falling short” becoming a reality in our lives.